Cory Booker on Immigration

Blocking the DREAM Act is crazy; it's how we built America

[Commenting on the Republicans' blocking passage of the DREAM Act], "These are people who want to serve in the military and get educated. Forget the politics. It's the pragmatism of it. We are a nation that has built our country on immigrants from
Einstein to some of our greatest scientists have been people coming in. And to tell people who have been through high school and high school presidents going to college [and who have served on the front lines] this is crazy."

Source: Interview with NBC News' Andrea Mitchell
, Dec 19, 2010

Against involving city police in immigration matters

To the revelation that a suspect in the Newark shootings, Jose Lachira Carranza, is an illegal immigrant from Peru who could have been detained by federal immigration authorities after he was arrested three times on criminal charges. A national chorus
reacted with horror to the Aug. 4 killings at a playground here. The mayor of NewarkCory A. Booker, has tried to keep the public discussion focused on his main goal: reducing the crime rate. Mr. Booker said he was frustrated that Mr. Carranza had been fr
responding to the debate surrounding the suspect's illegal status, has come out firmly against involving city police in immigration matters. He said such a role would hurt relationships with what he called "the most marginalized and vulnerable people
within our community."

"My Police Department does not play an I.N.S. function," Mr. Booker said. "We are not to be running around doing interrogations about whether someone is documented or not."